Members of Kung Fu at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital

 

On Dec. 21, five-piece jam act Kung Fu held their 8th annual Toys for Tots Celebration at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Conn.

After collecting toy donations from audience members, the band kicked off the show with a seven-song set of originals, bookeneded by “Cookie Monster” and “The Get Down.”

Following setbreak, the crowd at Toad’s Place cheered for the planned “tribute to Stevie Wonder.”

The entire second half featured Nigel Hall of Lettuce, Rob Volo of Deep Banana Blackout and Christine Tambakis of Baby Dynamite, as they jammed on a slew of Stevie Wonder classics from “Higher Ground” to “Ordinary Pain” to “Signed Sealed Delivered.”  Matt Jalbert and AC Carter from opening act TAUK jumped onstage for Songs in the Key of Life cut “Contusion.” Afterwards, Jalbert stuck around and Carter swapped out for bandmate Isaac Teel for “Superstition.”

The band encored the show with Wonder’s Grammy-winning hit “I Wish,” and they spent the following day at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital giving thousands of dollars of collected toys to children in need.

“This annual event is a huge part of the heart and soul of this band,” Kung Fu said in a statement.

You can watch the full Kung Fu Toys for Tots show (courtesy of MKDevo) on the Kung Fu Facebook page.

For upcoming Kung Fu tour dates, including a two-night New Year’s run in Covington, Ky., visit their official website.

Check out the full setlist below:

Kung Fu
8th Annual Toys for Tots Celebration
Dec. 21, 2018
Toad’s Place, New Haven, Conn.

Set I: Cookie Monster, Gung Ho> Caught Up In A Mess, Scrabb, Daddy D> Chop Suey, The Getdown

Set II: Higher Ground, Ordinary Pain, All Day Sucker, Signed Sealed Delivered, Contusion, Superstition, Master Blaster, Black Man, He’s Misstra Know It All, Do I Do, As

Enc: I Wish

Notes:
Set two featured all Stevie Wonder covers and additional instrumentation by Nigel Hall, Rob Volo and Christine Tambakis.
“Contusion” also featured Matt Jalbert and AC Carter from TAUK.
“Superstition” also featured Matt Jalbert and Isaac Teel from TAUK.